The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-04-28
LETTING A "Go-DEviLp DROP.
Exploding a Charge at the Bottom of an
Notwithstanding Results.

Exploding Charge at the Bottom of an
Notwithstanding Results.
The well we saw shot was charged
with 200 pounds of nitro-glycerine.
When all the tubes We're down the prem
ises were cleared. The expert picked up
his apparatus, loaded them in his wagon,
and drove away. All the spectators who
had ventured close about to see the pro-
cess withdrew to the highway and got
into eligible sighting positions 200 yards
off and to the windward of the well, the
men IN charge assuring them the thing
10 get out of the way of was the Oil in
the well, which, being thrown to great
height, would be carried in spray long
distance by the wind
Then workman brought out the "go-
leviF and called for volunteer from
he spectators to come and drop it. The
'go-devil" is the weight that, dropped irr
he well explodes the charge. 1t is a
ude casting about foot long and
Weighing about twelve pounds. 1t is a
'our-winged messenger, the center being
about an inch in diameter, from which
four wings about an inch and half
broad and quarter of an inch thick pro-
ject, the whole being brought to point
at the downward extremity. The wings
carry it straight to the mark, and the
point strikes the plate of the uppermost
tube down in the well. The man stood
over the mouth of the well holding this
destroyer when he called out: Does
anyone want to drop it?" The expert
said there would be plenty of time to get
away. The correspondent, desirous of
seeing how it was all done, climbed down
from his perch on the fence and started
for the well. Don't be excited" said
the expert, you'll have time enough to
get back here before it strikes" The
platform about the well was oily and
slippery, SO that the retreat would have
to be entered upon with caution in order
to avoid slipping down.
The man at the well handed the CORE
spondent the 'go-devil." Lower it well
down in the iron casing, he said, before
you drop it, SO there will be no mistake
about it. There will be plenty of time to
get away" The correspondent clutched
the casting with his fingers between the
four wings and did as he was told to do.
Then he looked around to get the bear
ings for his feet. "All ready" said the
man at the well. Don't stumble over
that timber when you start" Drop
went the go-devil, and away went the
correspondent. He leaped over the tim
ber, skipped the gutter near the well,
and made for the highway with the go
devil ringing in his ears as it sped down
through the iron casing on its errand of
destruction. The man who remained
last at the hole walked deliberately off
in another direction. The correspondent
had time to recover his sightseeing posi-
ton when the sharp crack of the gum
caps 1,400 feet down in the earth was
heard. There were ten seconds of silent
suspense, and then grand spectacle was
seen.
First roar was heard, and this was
followed at once by the belching forth
of column of greenish liquid, which
rose to the top of the derrick, broke into
spray, and filled the air. Next followed
% column of black smoke and liquid,
roaring out of the hole like the escape of
Steam from locomotives safety valve
A fire of stones followed this, cracking
among the timbers of the derrick and
falling about. The wind carried the liq-
uid away from the spectators, and the
stones thrown straight from the mouth
of the well. fell back. harming no one.
The belching lasted perhaps half a min
ute, and then all was quiet. The eight
quarts of nitro-glycerine had done its
work. 1t had lifted first column of
crude oil /, 400 feet deep from the bot
tom of the well, had broken the black
sand-rock in which the petroleum is
| found, and had thrown the fragments
up from a depth of /, 400 feet. The grass
and ground for an acre round was COW
cred with a dirty, greenish slime, in
which the spectators had to tread in or
der to inspect the results. Out of the
wells mouth infiammable gas was pour
ing at a rate that would make a stock
| holder Of the Consolidated company turn
green with avarice to behold it. If
match had been applied disastrous re-
suits would have followed.
The "go-devil?" Bits of it not bigger
than ones thumb were picked up and
brought away as momentos.
Cor. New York Post.